One for the Road

So, when I was 16 I got my driver's license like most everyone else I know did. And when I was 21, it expired. For a series of dramas I cannot remember, I did not get it renewed. I think I got a ticket that I forgot to pay which compounded the issue and ultimately, incredibly long story short, I never got another license. I was living in New York by this time, where you definitely don't need to drive, or even know how to drive, arguably, so it wasn't ever a truly pressing issue.

There have been several times when I've attempted to obtain a new license in the years since then but I haven't for whatever reason - mostly because the process to get a license in a state in which I've never had a license before is worse than actually getting your license for the first time at age 16. I think whenever I've tried to get to the bottom of exactly what I need to do to, I've become so overwhelmed at the long list of tasks they require that I've put it off for years now.

I've finally acquiesed though, to simply hunkering down and completing the fucking process. There have been too many times in recent years when I'm visiting someone who has a car and I want to be able to drive myself somewhere and can't, or when we've rented a car and I want a chance to drive it and I can't. You get the idea.

So I just spent the morning figuring out how to go about getting the damn thing. And it's complicated. It's probably gonna cost me anywhere between $200-$300 when all is said and done and is gonna be an errand/logistical nightmare. FIRST, I have to go apply for a new social security card just to begin, because I'd completely forgotten that mine is gone because my wallet was stolen a year ago. You're not supposed to carry your SSC in your wallet. I know. Shut up.

Anyway, that SS card experience in and of itself is gonna be a blast, I'm sure. Then beyond that it's gonna be a lot of different forms, errands, tasks, fees, a CLASS, I have to take a FUCKING CLAAAAAAAAAAAASS !, FOR FIVE HOURSSSSSSSSS, then I have to take two tests!, plus I'm sure there will be lots of waiting and waiting and waiting around. But I'm just gonna go through with it though. It's not rocket science. It's just a pain. And as I told Kevin when I mentioned to him about all the steps in the process and he suggested that I just forfeit the whole pursuit, "I'm from the mid-west. We drive cars. I'm getting the damn license."

It's been quite a morning. Besides my own private administrative drama, a woman had work is having one of her weekly meltdowns today. And I want to smack her so hard. She's one of those people whose own crazed state creates about 85% of the drama that she's constantly in a tizzy over. As in, she brings it on her damn self. I want to have empathy for her but it's hard. Because she's also one of those people who will make sure everyone around her knows the true extent to which she's in sheer agony over her very existence at any moment. She's got a "tough life," except she doesn't. As my friend Jess's friend once told her "build a bridge and get (the fuck) over it." I added the fuck part. Can you tell?

Wheeeeeeew.

So! Let's turn this frown upside down, right? It's a beautiful Friday. We've had impeccable weather here lately. The kind that, as I'm sure you've heard me say before, makes you feel suffocated to be indoors. I plan to go out for a long lunch break in a few minutes, maybe get a pedicure, maybe do some fruit shopping at the farmer's market, maybe both.

This morning! I woke up at 8:10! Ever closer to the goal! I was seriously pleased with that reality. I actually woke up at 6:58, naturally (because the cat was standing over me like a murderer, a hungry murderer) without the alarm, and probably could have stayed awake. The prospect was sort of lovely, but as I laid there and grinned about all the things I could do with the two whole hours before I had to leave the house, I fell back asleep. :)

But when the alarm went off at 8, I only snoozed it once, and then got up and took a nice long shower. It was so lovely to have some extra time. I came up with a few things I wanted to do when I got out of the shower. (Kevin, the dear, cleaned the bathroom yesterday! So awesome.) Of course when I did finally get out, I didn't have enough time to do all the stuff I'd imagined, but I was able to put away the clean dishes, do some more dishes, marinate some chicken, and tidy up the kitchen. And I also packed myself a lunch and got out the door in time for the earlier train. It was very nice.

Yesterday was a pretty good OP day. I'm doing well right now. I had lots of healthy foods for breakfast and lunch and snacks. And then I went to a pilates class after work. It was just eh. I've taken lots of pilates classes over the years and this teacher did not measure up. And the stuff he had us doing was lame. I sort of hated it. I'm sore today, but the class experience itself left a lot to be desired. He didn't even stretch us out at the end! Horrible management of time on his part. And he loved the sound of his own fucking voice, cracking stupid jokes, and over- explaining stuff almost just to prove that he knew what he knew. Whatever.

After the class, I stretched out for a good ten minutes on my own. It was really nice and really necessary. I'm tight from yoga, pilates, and running this week. My back has fared pretty well, I must say. Only a bit of occasional soreness, but nothing to be concerned about. And it feels pretty good today, actually. I'm so relieved to be able to exercise again.

I'm hoping to get some light cardio and/or a jog in tonight. We'll see. I don't really want to have to devote anytime to working out this weekend. Maybe I'll do some situps and pushups on Sunday, but beyond that, I plan to take it easy, so if I can get something in tonight after work, that would be ideal. I think I'll have time, all things considered, to do a once-around the park by our house tonight. A good 40 minutes. Perfect.

After I left the gym last night, I met up with my good friend Adam in Union Square for dinner. I was able to pop into TJ's to pick up a few things I'd missed earlier in the week just before I met him. It was so empty in there and the shelves were totally stocked - complete opposite from the last time I was there. It was a relief. Then Adam and I walked around the corner to one of my favorite asian-food places in the city and had some edamame and sake while we waited for his girlfriend Maggie and Kevin to both show up from their respective previous locations. It was a rather impromptu double date, but we ended up having such a nice time. We had good food and good chatter and it was fun. I definitely got pretty tipsy on sake and felt like I'd overeaten when I left the restaurant (but I hadn't really - I only had my own sushi and some bites of Adam's chicken) and I crashed when we got home. Kev did too. We were both exhausted. He actually fell asleep with a glass of water in his hand. Ha. (I found him before it got ugly.)

Tonight we might do dinner at the place we got the gift certificate to. And then maybe a friend's birthday drinks. Tomorrow I think we're going to the beach on Long Island and then to meet our friends' new baby in the evening! And maybe some dinner after that. And Sunday will be the local pool, lunch in the park, and then a fun bachelor auction at the theater where we do improv in the evening. I think it's gonna be another great weekend. Wahoo!